Amazon.com Review
The phrase "insulin resistance" entered the pop lexicon a few years ago. Unfortunately, few people understand what it means, and some of the prescriptions for dealing with the problem actually make it worse.
As Dr. Gerald Reaven, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, explains, insulin resistance is part of Syndrome X, a once-mysterious killer of millions. Someone with Syndrome X has very high insulin levels, along with high blood fats and unusually small and dense particles of LDL (low-density lipoprotein)--the dangerous stuff. Diets high in carbohydrates or protein--like the American Heart Association and Zone diets--actually lead to more insulin production. Reaven says this starts a chain reaction in people with Syndrome X that leads to damaged arteries and eventually to heart attacks.
Since the late 1960s, Dr. Reaven has methodically assembled the various pieces of the Syndrome X puzzle. Almost immediately, his research was bastardized to promote the notion that insulin makes you fat. But, as Dr. Reaven emphasizes in Syndrome X, you don't have to be fat to have insulin resistance, nor are fat people necessarily insulin resistant. Although 25 to 30 percent of Americans have insulin resistance, it's probably not the people you think have it: those at greatest risk are of non-European origin.
The solutions to the problem start with a low-carbohydrate diet that's high in unsaturated fats--fish, nuts, oils, and margarine and mayonnaise made from safflower oil. Reaven also recommends the usual suspects: more exercise, no smoking, less drinking.
The payoff? A longer, healthier life. And the superiority that comes with actually knowing what "insulin resistance" means. --Lou Schuler
From Publishers Weekly
First identified by lead author Reaven in 1988, Syndrome X, also known as "insulin resistance syndrome," is as powerful a predictor of coronary heart disease as are elevated "bad" cholesterol levels. Reaver argues that it is poorly understood by doctors and patients because it is not one single disease, but a series of metabolic changes occurring in insulin-resistant individuals that can lead to diabetes and heart attack. Contrary to accepted medical practice as well as common lore, Reaver says that these individuals who have developed heart disease should not be on low-fat diets; rather, they should consume fat, carbs and proteins in a specific ratio that promotes the absorption of sugar into their blood cells. This comprehensive, clearly written volume should be a welcome addition to both patients' and their doctors' health shelves. It offers a detailed explanation of the causes and potentially devastating effects of Syndrome X, a six-step program to identify and manage the disease as well as a diet plan, complete with 1,200- and 1,800-calorie 30-day meal plans that incorporate the recommended ratio of fats to proteins and carbs. All this is served up in somewhat more scientific form than the more personal The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program and the bestselling Sugar Busters! (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
